


so tell them they are loved dearly

by AshDoesFandom



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010), Varian and the Seven Kingdoms
Genre: Celebrations, F/F, F/M, Forgiveness, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Poly, Rapunzel's self destructive thoughts, Redemption, Varian is Rapunzel's baby brother, Varian-centric, cassandra says fuck, is it gay to be in love with ur best friend?, kind of a prequel for v&t7k, post final, rapunzel-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 04:22:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29835957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshDoesFandom/pseuds/AshDoesFandom
Summary: By sunrise, Cass will be off to find herself and Varian to find his destiny. Rapunzel tries not to dwell on this thought, but finds herself unable to think of much else. It’s selfish, she knows, to wish to keep them here, safely behind her walls, under her rule, but the thought of either of them getting hurt when she wasn’t there to protect them is unbearable.Or,Rapunzel loves her friends
Relationships: Cassandra & Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Rapunzel & Varian, Cassandra/Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Rapunzel & Varian (Disney)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	so tell them they are loved dearly

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't seen the finale in a hot minute so Idk how canon compliant this is, but let's ignore that and let Rapunzel have feelings over her friends

It reminds Rapunzel of that first night. The night she came home. There are lights in the sky, cheering in the streets. She dances through the crowds, occasionally pulling a friend over to join her. The air smells of sweet food and the electric smokey scent that fills the air with each new coupling of fireworks. Her parents are nowhere to be found, but Rapunzel can’t find it in herself to be worried or seek them out. No, she’s solely focused on her inner circle of friends, participating in the celebration.

Except Lance, who is _god knows where_ with his kids. She hopes they’re not doing anything _too_ illegal. 

Eugene, Cass and Varian are still here though, opting to follow her lead tonight. It’s the last night the four of them are going to be together for a while. By sunrise, Cass will be off to find herself and Varian to find his destiny. Rapunzel tries not to dwell on this thought, but finds herself unable to think of much else. It’s selfish, she knows, to wish to keep them here, safely behind her walls, under her rule, but the thought of either of them getting hurt when she wasn’t there to protect them is unbearable. 

Eugene shoots her a look like he knows what she’s thinking, reaching over to tangle his hand in hers. 

“Wanna get out of here?” he asks. Surprisingly enough, it’s _not_ a pick up line, as it’s directed at both Cass and Varian. Rapunzel feels a warm ball of gratitude in her chest at the thought of Eugene missing them as much as she’s going to. 

“That better not be innuendo, there’s a _kid_ here,” Cass says, draping an arm over Varian’s shoulder. The smaller boy smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. He’s still cautious around Cass, willing to forgive ( _“I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t, Princess.” “Stop vilifying yourself Varian, you’re allowed to have emotions.”_ ), but still wary of Cass’s presence. Cass seems aware of this shift in their dynamic. She pulls her arm away, looking a little crestfallen, but not angry.

Cass hasn’t expressed anger or any other emotion beyond a disbelieving sort of happiness and sudden bouts of remorse from time to time. 

“I didn’t mean it like that, Cas _san_ dra.” Eugene drops Rapunzel’s hand so he can fold his arms defensively. 

“Then don’t say it like that!”

“You two are making a scene,” Varian groans, dropping his face into his hands. “Can we have one normal-”

“Yeah, when Eugene figures out how to talk like a _person_.” 

“ _Look-_ ”

Rapunzel throws an arm over Varian’s shoulder and steers him through the crowd. “We’ll let them catch up, yeah?”

Varian snorts, rolling his eyes with a fondness that aches in Rapunzel’s chest. “Some things never change, huh?” He says, almost to himself. His eyes are far away, as if recalling something. 

Rapunzel squeezes his shoulder. “I hope not,” she says, ashamed at how vulnerable her voice sounds. She clears her throat and reminds herself that Varian is the younger of the two and it’s not his job to comfort her. 

She guides him through the crowd until they’re back at the castle. Here she pauses, uncertain where to go next. It’s hard not to think of the place as another prison, but the memories of being locked up here again rise up before she can suppress them. _This is your home_ , she reminds herself. 

She can almost pretend it works. 

Varian slips out of her grasp for a moment before taking her hand. “I know just the place,” he says, glancing back at her knowingly. 

He pulls her through the winding corridors of the castle until they reach the library. Varian drops her hand, scurrying over to one of the windows. “There’s a ledge underneath part of the roof I found a while back,” he explains. “It’s a good place to be alone.”

Rapunzel doesn’t like the idea of Varian being alone much. 

She follows him out the window. 

It’s a small, but easy climb over to Varian’s ledge. It’s in such a position that if you stood on the ground or upon the roof, anyone sitting on the ledge would be virtually invisible. Especially her and Varian being of shorter stature. It _is_ an excellent hiding spot, one that Rapunzel will most likely be using on days where everything is just a bit too much. 

Rapunzel drags herself onto the ledge after Varian. The two sit, shoulder to shoulder, legs dangling over the edge. Fireworks shoot off in the distance, lighting up the sky for a brief moment before going dark enough for the stars to become visible again. 

“I’d like to see Eugene and Cass find us now,” Varian says, a little smugly. 

Rapunzel huffs. “A master thief and ex-Captain of the Guard? Yeah they don’t stand a chance against us.”

Varian bumps her with his shoulder. “Wait, I thought being sarcastic was their thing? Is it our thing now? Are we sarcastic people?”

“No one can tell me what to do,” she says decisively. 

“Yeah, now that you’re queen you can be as bossy as you want.”

Rapuznel’s stomach twists with anxiety. “Yeah,” she says. Her voice sounds far away. “I’m queen now.” 

A warm shoulder presses firmly into hers. “Prin- _Rapunzel_.” Varian’s baby blue eyes stare unflinchingly up into her own. “You’re gonna do great.” 

“Damn straight!” Eugene shouts. Varian squeaks, jumping so hard he almost falls off. Rapunzel steadies him, arm wrapped around the young boy’s waist. After she’s sure he’s in no danger of slipping, she turns in the direction of her fiance’s voice. 

Eugene hangs halfway out the window, watching Cass make the short climb up to their ledge. He smiles sheepishly at Rapunzel’s glare. “My bad,” he mouths. Rapunzel rolls her eyes. 

Cass easily scales the wall and flips herself onto the other side of Varian. She settles down, looking a bit unsure until Varian scoots over enough to press his shoulder up against her in a mirror image of how he and Rapunzel had been moments before. 

A moment later and Eugene is settling himself on Rapunzel’s other side. It’s a bit of a squeeze, the four of them on the small ledge, but they manage, Varian tightly squished between the two girls and Rapunzel partially on Eugene’s lap. 

Eugene reaches around Rapunzel to ruffle Varian’s hair. “Sorry about that, kiddo. Didn’t mean to spook you.” 

Varian mumbles something intelligible, face a soft shade of pink. 

“Soooo,” Eugene says for a moment. “Last night in the kingdom, huh.” 

Rapunzel wants to slap a palm to her face. She loved her fiance more than anything on earth, but did he have to bring up the one thing she was desperately trying to _not_ think about? 

“Is that another pick up line?” Cass asks, annoyed. 

“It _wasn’t_ -” 

Varian bursts into tears, startling everyone into silence. “Sorry,” he chokes out, hastily wiping his face. “I just-I’m just going to _miss_ this,” he explains, voice taking on a desperate tone. 

“Aww, _buddy_ ,” Eugene croons. “We’re gonna miss you, too.” 

“Every day,” Rapunzel promises, lump in her throat. She swallows it down, that and the pleas to stay that are on the tip of her tongue. It’s _selfish_. 

“And who knows, maybe we’ll run into each other out there,” Cass adds, optimistically. It’s a bit forced, but Varian seemingly appreciates the sentiment. 

“Yeah,” he says, scrubbing his face. “Yeah you’re right. I’m sorry, I’m being a baby about this.”

“Varia-”

“I _am_. I’m choosing to leave, I have no right to be upset over it. And.” He stops, swallowing hard. “Maybe if I hadn’t screwed up so bad, I would have had more time with you guys.” 

“That’s bullshit.”

“Cass! Not in front of the baby!” Eugene _squawks_.

“She’s right,” Rapunzel finds herself saying, much to Eugene’s chagrin. Varian eyes her, uncertainly. “I’m done with the blame game. We _all_ messed up, we _all_ have failed each other. More than once. So please _please_ stop hating yourself.” Her eyes flicker up to Cass’s, words just as much for her best friend as for her pseudo-baby brother. 

The tension bleeds visibly out of Varian. He relaxes in her and Cass’s hold. “Yeah, okay,” he mutters, turning back to stare at the night sky. Rapunzel meet’s Cass’s eyes over top his head. The other girl smiles at her. The edges are brittle. 

_If I told you I loved you would you stay?_ Rapunzel wonders. She presses her cheek into the crown of Varian’s head. His hair is silky against her skin. It wouldn’t be fair to tell Cass now. Rapunzel had vowed to never hold her best friend back again. 

As another round of fireworks explode, Eugene says, “Besides, you’re gonna be out there making _new_ friends. Friends your age.” 

“Girlfriends and boyfriends,” Cass agrees. 

Varian turns bright red. “I. Shut up.” 

“The young lad seeks destiny, but what will happen when destiny finds _him_?” Eugene gasps, pressing a hand to his heart. 

“Oh my _god_ -” 

“Think of the hearts he'll break,” Cass continues, nodding sagely. “With those baby blues and that can-do attitude.” 

“I will literally _pay_ you two to stop-” 

“By the time you come back for our wedding I expect you to have fallen in love at least once and to bring them with you,” Rapuznel interjects, grin on her face. Varian turns to her, betrayal etched in every line of his face.

“I am. Not. Going to fall. In love.” 

Rapunzel was young, a bit naive, and probably a bit too positive about life in general, but she knew when fate was throwing dramatic irony into the wind when she saw it. _Sweet sun moon and stars please let him be okay_ , she prays to anything that will listen. 

“I said the same thing. And bam! Frying pan to the head,” Eugene says. 

“That explains a lot.”

“Shut up, _Cass_ . I _will_ push you off this roof.” 

“I’d like to see you try, dumbass.” 

“Stop swearing in front of the baby!” 

The two devolve into affectionate bickering that’s background noise at this point. Rapunzel squeezes Varian’s shoulder tightly. Squished between the three people she loves most, Razpunel lets herself be grounded in the moment. 

“I’m coming back,” Varian says softly, so softly that Rapunzel would have missed it had they not been so close. 

“I know,” she admits. “I just.” 

“Yeah,” he agrees. Then, “I’ll make you proud.” The promise is quiet, but firm. Much like Varian himself.

The smile that steals across Rapunzel face is as easy as the love she feels for him. Him and Cass and Eugene and Lance and her parents and everyone in her kingdom. 

“Oh Varian,” she says, heart swelling with so much affection it pours over. “You already have.”

**Author's Note:**

> Someone pls tell Rapunzel that it's ok to be in love with ur best friend


End file.
